James Pulteney.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

{A.D. 1810}

The session opened on the 23rd of January, when the king's speech was
again delivered by commission. It contained but little except the late
disasters and the necessity of granting further assistance to Portugal
and Spain. Amendments strongly condemning the ministerial direction of
the whole war, and particularly the Walcheren expedition were moved in
both houses, but were rejected by considerable majorities.

DEBATE ON THE WALCHEREN EXPEDITION.

On the 26th of January Lord Porchester, in the commons, moved for a
committee of the whole house, which might inquire into the conduct of
the late expedition to Walcheren, by examining oral evidence as well as
written documents. This motion was seconded by Mr. Windham, and opposed
by Mr. Croker, who moved the previous question; but the proposition was
carried by a majority of one hundred and ninety-five against one hundred
and eighty-six. After the examination of evidence on this ill-fated
expedition was concluded, Lord Porchester proceeded further in the
matter, by moving two sets of resolutions, to the effect that the
enterprise was undertaken under circumstances which afforded no rational
hope of adequate success, and at the precise season of the year when the
disease which had proved so fatal was known to be most prevalent; that
its advisers were therefore highly reprehensible; and that their conduct
in delaying the expedition called for the severest censure. The first
set of these resolutions, after four nights' debate, was lost by
a majority of two hundred and twenty-seven against two hundred and
seventy-five; and the second set by two hundred and seventy-five against
two hundred and twenty-four. Subsequently a resolution approving their
conduct in retaining the island till the time when it was abandoned,
was carried by a similar majority; but "the indignant nation plainly
perceived that the house felt unwilling to sanction the disgraceful
measures of the principals concerned in this expedition; while it was
too courtly to visit the commander with any severity of punishment, and
too dependent to condemn the acts of a cabinet which did not seem likely
to be dissolved." Lord Chatham, however, quailed before the storm
raised against him; for, to avoid the consequences of an address for his
removal, he resigned the office of master-general of the ordnance.

{GEORGE III. 1809--1812}

PROCEEDINGS A